Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an audio-visual alarm system, and more particularly to an audio-visual alarm system uniquely adapted for neighborhoods in which many of the homes do not have telephones and/or in which some residents cannot reach the telephone, and wherein the alarm may be actuated at the end of a delay period or immediately under emergency conditions using a wall-mounted switching panel and/or a remote control unit.
Description of the Prior Art
The prior art contains a seemingly endless supply of security alarm systems. Such alarm systems have been around for many years and continue to grow ever more effective at protecting property and human lives within a dwelling or the like, ever more complex and difficult to install and maintain, and ever more costly.
One type of alarm system commonly employed in many of today's homes involves various types of detector systems such as ultrasonics, open/closed conductor loops, sound sensors, motion sensors, radar-type sensors, and many similar types of circuits or detectors provided in, on, or about the premises for detecting the presence of intruders or would-be intruders and generating an alarm signal, usually over dedicated alarm lines, cable TV lines, or conventional telephone lines to the nearest police, ambulance, or fire agency serving that district.
These systems are very expensive to install initially, are very expensive to maintain, and charge quite substantial sums of money for monthly protection, and are therefore far beyond the capabilities of ordinary home owners, particularly that category of home owners who cannot even afford a telephone.
Many alarm systems utilize huge computer complexes for keeping track of imput and output signals over cable TV, telephone lines, dedicated lines, and the like. Still others may set off only on-premises alarms to try and frighten the burglars away, and many assorted types of sensors and detection triggers are usually provided.
The prior art trend has been toward the adaption of more and more modern or complex electrical circuitry and systems; toward greater installation costs; toward greater operating and maintenance costs; toward greater monthly or yearly costs; and hence they totally fail to meet the long-felt need of a security type system for relatively low or middle income homes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost security system which can be used in low or medium cost housing units.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system which can be easily installed by the home owner himself.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an alarm system which is easy to install, involves a low installation cost, is easy to maintain, requires little or no expenditure of energy, and is well within the financial reach of even relatively poor homeowners.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination audio alarm and visual alarm which can be mounted at a readily visible location such as on the roof or exterior wall of a home or residence so that when an alarm condition is annuciated, neighbors who do have telephone can hear and/or visually observe the emergency condition and telephone the appropriate authorities.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a relatively low cost alarm system which can be located on an exterior surface of the building while a switching panel located on an interior surface of the building can be used for actuation purposes.
It is still andother object of this invention to provide a panel including a SET switch for initiating a time delay period, a RESET switch for terminating the time delay period and restoring the initial circuit operation, and an emergency button EMERG for bypassing the delay and initiating or actuating the alarms immediately.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a remote control unit and receiver means for controlling the operation of the Set, Reset, and Emergency functions, from a location remote from the wall panel and the exterior location of the audio and visual alarm devices.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a simple, low cost, easy-to-maintain, easy-to-install, audio-visual alarm package which can be plugged or threaded into an outside light receptacle and operated from an interior light switch.